Looking Too Closely
by BarbyChan4ever
Summary: Vada Lisbon is the new girl at Liberty High. She befriends the infamous Hannah Baker, and they navigate the hell that is high school together... until tragedy strikes. OC-centric, multiple pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, everyone! I posted this story on Wattpad last year, and now I've decided to share it on this site as well. It begins after the Winter Formal, where my OC Vada arrives at Liberty and meets Hannah.

I made a trailer for this story, you can look it up on Youtube as "Looking Too Closely - 13 Reasons Why Fanfiction."

The title is based on the song by Fink. Please let me know what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Vada Lisbon didn't know what was worse: having to leave her beloved New York to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, or having to start all over again at a new school where she didn't know anybody.

Her sophomore year had been going fairly well until a certain incident had sent her packing to live with her grandmother in Crestmont. Grandma Eloise was thrilled to have Vada with her, but the girl just wished she could turn back time.

Walking the halls of Liberty High made Vada feel like a circus attraction. People would stare and whisper, probably speculating about the reasons behind her transfer. But Vada paid no mind to them. Her main goal at the moment was getting her locker to open.

"Are you serious?!" She yelled, not understanding why the thing wouldn't function. _They must have given me the wrong combination or something_.

"I had the same problem once." A sudden voice said. Vada turned to see that there was a girl standing by the locker next to hers. She was beautiful; with long brown hair, green eyes, and a kind smile.

"Those things are like 100 years old. They're hard to open." The pretty brunette said. "I'm Hannah, by the way."

"I'm Vada." She held up her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Hannah shook Vada's hand and eyed her curiously. "You're new, right?"

Vada nodded. "Yeah, I just moved here on Friday. I'm a sophomore."

"Same here. What class do you have now?"

Vada checked her schedule. "Communications with Mrs. Bradley. Do you know where that is?"

"I'm on that class too!" Hannah said excitedly. "We could walk together if you want."

"That would be awesome, thanks!" Vada exclaimed. When her locker finally opened, she put some of her heaviest books inside. "Finally. My back's been killing me all morning."

"The price for education, right?" Hannah joked. _She's so nice_. _I thought this would be harder_.

"I feel so lucky that you're my locker roommate." Vada blurted out. "It's like fate or something."

Hannah grinned and looked down. "Sorry." Vada murmured, blushing slightly. "Was that too corny?"

The brunette shook her head. "Not all at. It's just nice to make a new friend."

Vada sighed in relief, and they walked to class together. She could still feel the other students watching her. "Everyone here is acting as if they never had a new student before."

"Yeah, that's Liberty High for you." Vada sensed an annoyance in Hannah's tone. "Here is the classroom." Her new friend opened the door for her. They sat together on the first empty table they could find, and left their backpacks on the floor. Some guys in jerseys stared at Vada, but she ignored them and began to doodle in her notebook until the teacher arrived.

"Hello, class." Mrs. Bradley greeted. "I've been informed that we have a new student with us today. Where is Vada Lisbon?"

 _Oh, no, no. Please don't_.

Vada raised her hand, feeling her face grow hot. _Please don't make me talk, please don't make me talk_.

"Welcome to Liberty High! Would you like to tell us something about yourself?"

 _Oh, shit. Of course I have to talk, it's Communications class!_

Vada cleared her throat. "Um, well... my middle name is Charisma, which has nothing to do with my personality, just the Avon perfume". A few students chuckled at that. "I just moved here from New York... I like drawing and painting... and I guess that's it?" _Why am I so lame?_

"That's nice." Mrs. Bradley acknowledged. "Thank you, Vada."

"Bury me alive, please." Vada whispered to Hannah, covering her face with her hands. "I feel like a dumbass."

"That wasn't so bad." Hannah reassured her, patting the redhead's hand. "You did okay."

"I'll take your word for it."

Vada was grateful that Mrs. Bradley didn't make her speak again after her awkward introduction. When the bell rang, the teacher stopped Vada to tell her about the compliment bags; which was something that the students used to praise each other anonymously. Vada wrote her name on the bag Mrs. Bradley gave her and put it with the others. She gave a courtly nod to the woman and headed to the cafeteria to catch up with Hannah.

Her new friend was sitting by herself, concentrated on the pages of a book. Vada was curious as to why someone so sweet like Hannah didn't seem to have any friends, but chose not to say anything about it. _It's not like I was Miss Popularity back home_.

"Sorry I'm late. Mrs. Bradley just wanted to give me my own compliment bag." Vada explained. "The whole thing seems adorable."

"Yeah, I can't help but check mine whenever I can." Hannah admitted. "I get a bunny drawing every now and then."

"That's so sweet. Any idea who sends them?"

"Nope... no clue." Hannah replied, closing her book. "So you're from New York? That's amazing. I've always wanted to go there. NYU is my dream college."

"Mine's Yale." Vada commented. "But I see the appeal of NYU. What would you like to study?"

"I want to be a writer." She declared, playing with a strand of her hair. "I like words, and writing poetry is one of my favorite hobbies."

"Just like sketching is mine. Looks like with both artists." They giggled and finished their lunch together. Spending time with Hannah was so enjoyable that it saddened Vada when they had to split up to go to their respective classes. _Ugh. What do I do now?_

It took Vada a few minutes to find the History classroom, but fortunately, she wasn't late. Some different jocks were glancing at her now, and Vada couldn't help but roll her eyes. _I hate athletes_.

"You're the new girl, right?" One of them asked. _Yes, I am the new girl, dumbass. What do you want?_ Before Vada could form an actual reply, the teacher had entered the room. The redhead ignored the annoying boys and listened to the lesson. _I should ask Hannah for her number before the day is over. At least I made one friend today_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The bell rang, and Vada picked up her things to get to her next class. On her way out, she bumped into one of the jocks.

"Shit!" Vada hissed. "I'm sorry."

The athlete turned around, and Vada could feel her cheeks redden. _Wow_. This boy had the most infectious smile she'd ever seen. "It's okay." He said. "No harm done."

"I'm Vada!" She blurted out, loudly enough for the other students to give her a funny look.

"I'm Jeff." The guy responded, turning around to leave. "See you around."

Vada stood by herself in the hallway, watching Jeff walk away. _Okay, he's cute... for a jock_. She returned to reality when she caught sight of Hannah.

"Hey." The girl approached her. "What was that about?"

"Oh, just me making a fool of myself in front of this dude Jeff." Vada explained, walking side by side with Hannah. "He is so pretty!"

"Yeah, he is." Hannah agreed. "But I have to let you know that he has a girlfriend named Leah."

 _Of course he does_. "Oh." Vada frowned. "Well, who needs men anyway?"

The brunette chuckled. "I'm with you there."

"What class do you have next?" Vada wondered.

"Biology." Hannah replied. "You?"

"I have a free period now, so I guess I'll just go to the library to organize some stuff." She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Can we exchange numbers?"

Hannah smiled widely; her expression full of enthusiasm. "Sure."

Vada grabbed Hannah's phone and put her number on it, and her new friend did the same. After returning the phone, the redhead waved goodbye and entered the library. All the tables were full, except for one that was occupied by a single guy.

"You mind if I sit here?" Vada whispered, trying not to disturb the silence.

"Not at all." He answered, meeting her gaze. "I'm waiting for a friend of mine that I have to tutor, so I hope our talking won't bother you."

"Oh, that's okay." Vada assured him, taking the chair next to his. "I just have to go through some notes. I'm Vada Lisbon, by the way."

"Clay Jensen."

Vada nodded, grabbing one of her notebooks. "Nice to m-"

"Hey, man." A third voice interrupted them. "I know I'm late, but I had to talk to the coach about something." Vada's eyes widened when she saw who it was. _Just my luck_.

"Hi again." Jeff sat across the table from Vada and Clay. "Fancy meeting you here."

Vada snorted. "At least I didn't bump into you this time."

"You two know each other?" Clay asked.

"We had History class together earlier." Jeff clarified. "You're new, right?"

"Yeah, I just moved here a couple of days ago." Vada murmured.

"Well, welcome to Liberty." Jeff said, opening his book. "Let's do this, Clay."

Vada concentrated on her homework, checking her phone every now and then to see if Hannah had texted her. She noticed that there was a goth girl sitting in another table, covered in tattoos and piercings. _There's an alligator on her neck. I like it._

"Are you checking out Twilight, new girl?"

Vada shrieked, nearly dropping her phone. "You scared me, dude! I was just looking at one of her tattoos."

"Okay, relax." Jeff raised his hands. "I wasn't going to judge you if you were, though. She's pretty, despite her clothes."

"There's nothing wrong with her clothes." Vada defended. "I think she looks cool."

Jeff grinned. "If you say so."

Clay had remained silent during their little exchange, motioning the book to Jeff. "Oh, sorry, man. Let's keep going."

"I better get going." Vada rose from her seat. "I'll see you guys around." She left without sparing them another glance, not wanting to embarrass herself any further.

Vada headed to her locker, using the last couple of minutes she had of her free period to decorate it. She hung pictures of her friends from New York, and some sparkly stickers.

It was tough, starting all over again. Grandma Eloise was sweet, but she wasn't the most exciting company. At least she had Hannah to talk to now, and Vada was interested in getting to know her better. But she also feared Hannah wouldn't want to hang out with her if she knew why she'd moved. _Even my own dad doesn't want me around_.

When it was time for English, Vada found Hannah waiting for her by the door. "Hey."

"Hey." Vada followed Hannah, and they sat next to each other at the back. "How was Biology?"

Hannah shrugged her shoulders. "Boring. How was free period?"

"Kind of boring too, I suppose." She noticed Clay was sitting not too far from them, and gave him a wave when their eyes met. He waved back, and Hannah raised her brows.

"You two have met?"

"He was at the library tutoring Jeff. He seems like a nice, quiet guy."

"Clay's great." Hannah pursed her lips. "We work together at the movie theater."

"You work in a movie theater? That's so c-!" Vada's response was cut off when the teacher entered the class.

The rest of the day wasn't entirely terrible; but she still wished she could throw rocks at the jocks who kept ogling her in class. _Why do they have to be such pigs?_

Vada didn't get a chance to see Hannah after their English class, but the girl had texted her that they could continue their conversation tomorrow. When she made it home, her grandma was on the floor, searching for something.

"Grandma! What are you doing?" Vada dropped her backpack and helped her grandmother get up.

"I was just looking for my slippers. I can't walk around without my slippers!" Eloise cried out.

Vada looked at Eloise's feet and sighed. "You're wearing them, grandma. Nothing's wrong."

Eloise remained still for an instant, and Vada prayed she wouldn't start crying like the other day. Grabbing her gently by the shoulders, she guided her to her sofa and turned the TV on.

"Find something to watch." Vada instructed, going straight to the kitchen. "I'll go make us something to eat."

"You're a good girl, Vivian." She heard her grandmother yell. "I'm glad you're here."

"Thanks, grandma." Vada yelled back. _Yesterday I was Victoria, today I was Vivian. Who am I going to be tomorrow?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Start, damn it!" Vada hissed. "I'm going to be late."

She had been fighting with her car for the last 15 minutes. The old thing wouldn't start, and Vada was starting to think that she should just catch the bus. She didn't want to be late on her second day of school. _Maybe I could ask Hannah to pick me up?_

Vada got out of the vehicle, still undecided on what she should do. She noticed there was a shiny car approaching her, and the driver's identity left her speechless.

"Car trouble?" Jeff wondered, a charming smile plastered on his face.

"Y-yeah, it won't start. But it's okay, I think the bus is on its way here."

He shook his head. "No, no, you're not taking the bus. Hop in, I'll give you a ride."

 _Oh my God._ "I don't want to bother you."

Jeff rolled his eyes, grinning. "How could that bother me? Come on, don't make me beg."

 _How can I say no?_ "Okay... thanks." Vada got into his car and sat next to him with her backpack on her lap. "You leave close by?"

"A couple of blocks away, yeah."

Vada didn't know what to say. The guy had a girlfriend, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself. _He's just giving me a ride, it's not a big deal._

"You coming to the game this Friday?" Jeff suddenly asked as he drove. His voice was so unbelievably smooth, it made her cheeks redden.

"What game?"

"Shit, I forgot you're new here. There's a baseball game this Friday."

She pursed her lips, looking at his Liberty Tigers jacket. "I'm going to assume you're on the team based on your choice of wardrobe."

He chuckled, enjoying her sarcasm. "You could say that."

"Thanks for the invite, but I'm not really into sports." Vada shrugged. "I think I'm just going to ask Hannah if she wants to have a sleepover."

"Wow, that sounds promising." Jeff teased. "Will there be pillow fights?"

 _He's such a guy._ "You're not on the guest list, so I can't reveal that information."

Jeff continued to laugh, and Vada hoped he wouldn't notice her flushed face. _Stop blushing, dumbass!_

Once they made it to the school, Vada quickly grabbed her backpack and got out of the car. "Thanks for the ride."

The boy nodded. "No problem. See you around."

Vada flashed him a grateful smile, and headed towards the building. People were staring at her, even more than they were yesterday, but she tried not to think about it. She saw the stunning brunette coming out of the girl's bathroom, and immediately called out for her. "Hey, Hannah!"

"Vada, hi!" The girl greeted her, her gorgeous hair shining brightly.

"What class do you have now?"

"I'm stuck in Math for like 100 hours. You?"

"I have Geometry." Vada frowned, saddened that they were going to have to spend the first period apart. "I better get there before the bell rings. I'll text you, okay?"

"Sure." Hannah waved her goodbye, and they parted ways. When Vada made it into the classroom, she noticed several jocks sitting in the back, so she opted for a seat in the front.

"Hey, new girl!" She heard someone yell. _Well, shit._ Vada turned around, and immediately regretted it. The jock that had spoken had been the same one that tried to talk to her in History class yesterday. He had one of those faces that you just wanted to punch.

"Yes?"

"Saw you get out of Jeff Atkins' car. I thought the guy was loyal to Leah, but it looks like he couldn't resist some fresh blood. Not that I blame him."

 _What the fuck?_ "You have a vivid imagination, dude." Vada spat. "Which is not surprising, since you look like an 8-year-old wearing his daddy's clothes."

The guy's eyes widened, and Vada smirked apologetically. How dare he try to embarrass her in front of everyone? His friends burst into laughter, looking like a gang of maniacs. _How can Jeff hang around these assholes?_

"You have spice." The jock said. "I like that."

Vada was about to throw another insult at him, but stopped herself when the teacher walked in. It was clear that the athletes at Liberty High were just as nasty and entitled like the ones at her previous school. She wanted nothing more than to throw rocks at all of them to wipe those silly grins out of their faces.

"Hey." A female voice next to her whispered. _It better not be some pissed off cheerleader._ "Love what you said to Bryce."

Wrong. It was the cute goth girl she had seen at the library yesterday. Her space buns and neck tattoos made her stand out, making her the most interesting person in the room.

"His name is Bryce? I thought it was Big-Headed Demon."

"No, but that's exactly what we should call him." The girl replied, amusement in her tone. "I'm Skye."

"That's a pretty name. I'm Vada."

"Vada?" Skye mused. "Like the girl from that really sad movie where the kid gets killed by bees?"

 _Finally someone who gets it!_ "Yup. It's my mom's favorite movie; hence the name."

"It's an interesting name." Skye commented. "Well, new girl, I officially welcome you to Liberty High. Hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thanks." _Something tells me that being here won't be a walk in the park. But it never hurts to have another friend._ Skye seemed like the type of person who liked to keep to herself, but Vada considered inviting her to join her and Hannah at lunch. Only she'd probably have to ask the brunette about it first.

Vada spent half of the class taking notes, and the other half sketching. It was something she liked to do whenever inspiration hit her; and Jeff's soft smile, Hannah's mermaid waves, and Skye's alligator tattoo were definitely inspiring.

The tiresome class came to end after what seemed like forever, but before Vada could say something to Skye, the goth girl had already made it out of the classroom. _Well, perhaps I'll see her again in another class._

Vada rushed to the bathroom; she had been stuck in that damn room for too long. The walls were covered in writing, which wasn't unusual for a high school bathroom, but there were certain things that caught her attention.

 _Hannah Baker is a slut!_

 _Hannah Baker = crazy lesbian_

 _Hannah did it with Justin and Alex_

 _Whores must die_

The redhead gasped, loathing what she was reading. It all made sense now. The reason why Hannah didn't seem to have any other friends was because people were spreading vile rumors about her. And if anyone knew how much rumors could hurt, was Vada. _I should talk to Hannah. Let her know she's not alone._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Vada found Hannah in one of the tables outside. She wasn't alone this time; Clay was sitting next to her.

She studied the pair for a moment; it seemed as if they were having a very intimate conversation that Vada wasn't supposed to be a part of. Clay was looking at Hannah in an 'I want to be more than friends' type of way, but the brunette was completely oblivious to it. Vada walked back inside the school, figuring it would be best to speak to Hannah later.

The redhead immediately regretted that decision. Bryce and his goons had taken over the school halls. _Why are athletes always treated like Gods in high schools? All they do is play games and show off. That is nothing spectacular about that._

She'd only been at Liberty for two days and already disliked Bryce. His comment about Jeff had pissed her off more than anything else. Vada hoped neither he or his girlfriend had heard about it.

When the lead jock noticed her presence, he looked at her up and down, as if she were a sundae. Vada wanted to scratch his eyes out. _I need to get out of his hallway before I kick his ass._

She went back outside, thinking about what she was going to cook for dinner tonight. The money her father had given her was running out, and Vada didn't want to call him to ask for more. She needed to get a job soon.

Hannah and Clay were nowhere to be seen this time. Vada sighed and sat by herself in the nearest empty table. She thought about the horrible things that other girls had written about Hannah in the bathroom, and how awful things must be for her. It was easy for Vada to sympathize with Hannah, especially after how things had ended for her at her previous school. _I hope no one ever finds out about that._

Vada dreaded the moment gym class began. There was nothing more humiliating than having to run around in shorts and a tight shirt. But the worst part of all was when the teacher divided them into groups to play volleyball.

She ended up in a team with five other girls. One of them was Jessica, whom she had seen yesterday in her English class. Another one introduced herself as Sheri, whose friendliness eased Vada's nerves a bit. The other three didn't even bother speaking to her.

There was one particular girl from the rival team that was giving Vada the death glare. _Please don't tell me that this is Jeff's girlfriend._

Vada spent the majority of the game hiding behind Jessica and Sheri; the stars of the team. She felt stupid and wanted to contribute in some way before the game ended, even if she ended up making a fool of herself. When the ball headed her way, she hit it as hard as she could, so it would return to the opposing team's side of the net. Luckily for her, none of the rival players managed to get to it in time, and the ball hit the floor, earning points for Vada's team. They had now officially won.

"Way to go, new girl!" Jessica complimented her. Sheri gave Vada a soft pat on the back, and even her other teammates looked pleased. Vada was just happy it was over.

She changed in the locker room as quickly as she could. It was embarrassing having to remove her clothes in public, and she was eager to leave.

"Hey, you!" The girl that had been glaring at her earlier spoke, walking towards Vada.

 _Oh, this doesn't look good._ "Yes?"

"Jeff is my boyfriend, okay? I don't care if you leave close to his house. You're not getting into his car ever again, you hear me?"

Vada couldn't stop herself from laughing. _Talk about overreacting._ "And who are you to tell me what to do? If he offers me a ride again, I'll gladly accept. It's not my fault that he's so approachable."

"Shut up!" Leah shot back. "If you talk to him again, you're going to be in big trouble!"

Jessica, Sheri, and the rest of the girls watched the exchange silently, and Vada was grateful the teacher wasn't in the locker room with them. Not that she was planning on hurting Leah in any way. _Unless she hurts me first._

"Like I said. If he talks to me, I'll talk to him." Vada said calmly. "Jealousy doesn't look good on anyone, so I suggest you calm down." _Wouldn't want him to break up with you._

Leah didn't seem to have a comeback for that. She turned around and returned to her locker. "She hangs out with Hannah Baker, so she must be a slut just like her." Vada heard her say.

"Don't listen to her." Sheri's voice startled the redhead. "She's always been paranoid about another girl stealing Jeff from her. He's a very popular and nice guy, so he gets a lot of attention."

"Well, she should express her concerns to her boyfriend, not me." Vada pointed out. "I just got here. I'm not trying to do anything."

"Just ignore her, okay?" Sheri advised her. "Things can be intense at this school, so it's better to keep a low profile."

Vada raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a cheerleader, though? That's hardly low profile."

Sheri chuckled. "I guess you're right. But please be careful."

"Thanks." Vada didn't know why Sheri was so concerned for her. That Leah girl didn't look intimidating at all. _I could take her in a fight._ But maybe Sheri's worries were because of the rumor mill that could end up affecting Vada. Hannah was already a victim of it, and perhaps Vada was next. _Pfft, who cares what those kids say?_

Lunch was the moment Vada had been waiting for. Here was her chance to speak to Hannah about the writing in the bathroom walls. "Hey, can I tell you something?"

"Sure." The brunette replied.

"I saw some really nasty things written about you in the bathroom. I just want to let you know I'll stick with you no matter what, okay? I know we just met yesterday, but you're my favorite person here, and I enjoy talking to you. So... friends?"

The look on Hannah's face was priceless. Her cheeks were tainted pink, and her eyes were wide open. Vada was sure the girl was holding back tears, so she squeezed her hand gently.

Hannah gave her an affectionate smile in return. "Of course." She confirmed. "Friends."

 _And hopefully best friends... only time will tell..._

* * *

 **Author's note:** I know having two girls fight over a guy is cliché, but I'll try to make it bearable. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Hannah:** _Thank you for what you said today._

 _Means a lot..._

 **Vada:** _You don't have to thank me._

 _I know what it's like._

 **Hannah:** _You do?_

 **Vada:** _Yeah._

 _Will tell you someday._

 _Hey, you know Skye Miller?_

 **Hannah:** _Not really. Why?_

 **Vada:** _Met her today in class._

 _She seems cool._

 _You mind if I invite her to have lunch with us tomorrow?_

 **Hannah:** _Um, okay, no problem._

 _Not sure she'll say yes, though._

 **Vada:** _I have a feeling that she will._

 _See you tomorrow xx_

 **Hannah:** _Bye! :)_

Vada smiled at her phone, excited about sitting with Hannah and Skye tomorrow. She was positive that the goth girl would agree to the invitation.

After finishing her homework, the redhead began working on her resume. She planned to drop one in several places, so her chances of getting a job would be higher. There was little money left, and the fridge was nearly empty. Calling her father was the last resort, but Vada wanted to take care of things herself. For a moment, she felt envious of her grandma, who didn't seem to be aware of the gravity of the situation.

Vada wasn't a doctor, but she suspected that Eloise had some kind of mental illness. She had only met her grandma a few times when she was a child, but didn't remember her much. Her father had mentioned before dropping her off that he had a falling out with her years ago, but wouldn't say why.

Luckily this time, her car started, and Vada got to school safely. She found Skye in the hallway. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good, and you?"

"Great!" _Well, except for the money troubles._ "Listen, do you wanna sit with me and Hannah Baker at lunch later?"

Skye looked shocked for a moment; it was clear that this invitation was unexpected. "Okay." She nodded, her tone a bit unsure. "I'll sit with you guys."

"Awesome!" Vada clapped her hands in glee. "I have Math now. You?"

"I'm on that class too."

The girls walked together to their class, and Vada took the opportunity to text Hannah.

 **Vada:** _Skye said yes!_

 **Hannah:** _Did you propose or something?_

 _Congrats!_

 **Vada:** _lol funny._

 _She said yes to lunch with us._

 **Hannah:** _Cool._

 _See you there._

Unfortunately for her, Bryce was in the classroom, sitting near her and Skye. He and another guy were talking to Jeff, and Vada rolled her eyes. _He's got an awful taste in friends._ When the boy noticed her looking at him, he sent a cordial nod her way, which she returned.

"Are you friends with Jeff Atkins?" Skye asked.

"Eh, I don't know, kind of?"

Skye shook her head. "You can't be just 'kind of' friends with a guy like that."

"His girlfriend told me to stay away from him yesterday." Vada winced at the memory. "It was embarrassing."

"I heard about it. People are telling their own versions of the event."

Vada sighed, unsurprised. "What are they saying?"

"That you and Jeff had sex in his car before he drove you to school, and that's why Leah freaked out on you."

 _Oh, fuck my life._ "What the fuck? That never happened!"

"I know." Skye said sympathetically. "But the truth doesn't matter here."

Vada glanced at Jeff once again. He was now going through his notes, so he didn't see her staring at him. Bryce did see her tough, and his smug face had Vada fuming. During class, she came to learn that the jock Bryce was sitting with was called Montgomery. He gave her the same bad vibes Bryce did.

When lunch time came, Vada and Skye walked together to the cafeteria. Whispers followed them all the way through there, and Vada resisted the urge to snap at the gossipy students. After getting their food, they found Hannah already there waiting for them, staring at her tray.

"Hey, Han." Vada greeted, sitting in front of her. "How's your day going?"

"Okay, I guess." She shrugged. "Hey, Skye."

Skye smiled awkwardly. "Hi."

"So, I'm looking for a job." Vada announced, hoping to start a conversation so things wouldn't be weird. _This was my idea, after all_. "Do you guys know any place that's hiring?"

"Unfortunately the Crestmont isn't hiring." Hannah said sadly. "It would have been cool to work with you."

Vada smiled warmly at the brunette, sharing the sentiment.

"Well, I work at a coffee shop named Monet's, but they're not looking for new employees right now." Skye told her. "You could try at Rosie's dinner, though."

"I will, thanks." _I should go this afternoon while grandma is napping_. "So, Skye, have you always lived here?"

"All my life." She responded. "Why?"

"Just curious, I guess."

"Why did you move to Crestmont?"

"Um..." Vada started, receiving curious looks from both girls. _Should I tell them? Should I not tell them? I don't think now is the time_. "That's kind of private, sorry. Maybe some other day I'll tell you."

"Okay."

The awkward silence came back, and Vada didn't know what else she could say. She didn't think making conversation with Hannah and Skye at the same time would be this difficult. _Perhaps I made a mistake..._

"This fucking sucks." Vada put a hand to her head. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Hannah asked, lashes fluttering in concern.

"I don't know." The redhead responded. "For being stupid, I guess."

"You're not stupid, Vada." Hannah stated. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." Skye said. "No one's ever invited me to have lunch with them before. All I get from people here are stares and insults."

"I know the feeling." Hannah said under her breath. "People suck."

"Well, I've only been here for three days, but I agree with that statement. I'm already hearing rumors about me." Vada complained.

"And they aren't pretty." Skye added. "Sorry, not trying to make it worse."

"I don't think I'm ever going to stop hearing rumors about me." Hannah said bitterly, casting a glance around the cafeteria. "I get called a slut every day."

Vada felt her heart crack at her words. "I'm sorry, Han. You don't deserve it."

"You know what?" Skye exclaimed, hitting the table with her palm. "Even if that were true, why should it matter, anyway? Guys behave like sluts all the time, and nobody says anything about it."

"That's because the world has been built in a way that lets guys get away with everything." Vada pointed out. "And no one's allowed to question it."

"True story." Hannah mumbled.

They didn't say much to each other after that. Vada was glad that they had managed to voice their frustrations together, and hoped they could do it again. _I still need to invite Hannah to my house this weekend..._

The rest of her day turned out to be pretty bland. During her free period, she ran into Jeff in the hallway. She was glad to see that he was alone. _Time to settle this_."Hey."

He smiled when their eyes met. _Damn him_. "Oh, hey, Vada."

"Listen..." She folded her arms and drew in a breath through her nose. "...your girlfriend cornered me yesterday and told me not to talk to you. And apparently, people are now saying that you and I slept together? What's up with that?"

Jeff frowned. "I'm sorry. Leah, well... she's very passionate."

"That's an interesting word for immature." Vada scoffed.

"She's not immature, alright?" He said defensively. "She's just... Leah. And I'm sorry about the rumors. I told the guys nothing happened."

"Okay, whatever." She said dismissively. "I don't care what they say. I just don't want your girlfriend harassing me and ordering me around. I'll talk to you if I want to."

Jeff seemed taken aback by her words. _He probably thought I'd never want to speak to him again._ "And I'll talk to you too."

"Good." Vada flushed, biting her lip. "How could I survive without your attention?"

Jeff laughed, turning to leave. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure."

 _You're going to cause me trouble, Jeff Atkins. But I'm sure it'll be worth it._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"What do you think of Skye?" Vada asked Hannah that morning. They were sitting next to each other, waiting for their English teacher to show up.

"I don't know." She replied. "I can't really figure her out. But it was nice talking to her yesterday."

"She doesn't seem to have any friends." The redhead commented. "I guess that's why I invited her to sit with us. I can't really stand seeing people alone."

Hannah raised a brow. "Is that the reason you're hanging out with me?"

"I'm hanging out with you because I like you." Vada stated. "Platonically, of course. Don't get any ideas."

The brunette chuckled. "Thanks. I won't."

Their conversation ended when Mrs. Cusick entered the classroom. Vada was happy to share classes with Hannah, because it made things easier. She noticed that other students would give both of them dirty looks, as if they were the plague of school. But Vada was committed to standing by Hannah's side. _I'm not going to let some stupid rumors spoil this._

"Hey." She whispered to her friend.

"What is it?"

"You wanna come over to my place tomorrow? Watch movies, do each other's hair, and talk about boys?"

Hannah's radiant smile was the reaction Vada had been hoping for. "Of course."

Vada gave the other girl a wink, and they both continued to focus on the lesson.

It was impossible for her not to feel excited. It had been a long time since she had a sleepover, and Hannah was the type of person you wanted to keep around. The rumors didn't matter, because Hannah was genuine and warm. _And God knows I need somebody like that in my life._

After the bell rang, the girls ended up in different classes, but they eventually met again during lunch. Skye was nowhere to be seen in the cafeteria, so Vada decided to text her.

 **Vada:** _You okay? Hannah and I are at the cafeteria if you wanna join us._

"I wonder if Skye's alright." Vada said, taking a bite out of her sandwich. "Nobody should be skipping lunch; it's the most important meal of the day."

"I thought that was breakfast." Hannah pointed out.

"Yeah, but lunch is just as important. Especially considering that we spend hours locked up in here. The only way to get through these awful classes is with a full stomach."

Hannah nodded, taking a sip of her milk. "That's a valid point."

"Speaking of awful..." Vada started. "I heard there's a baseball game tomorrow. Jeff invited me the other day, but I turned him down. Told him I already had plans with my girl."

"You turned down Jeff Atkins to spend time with me?" Hannah playfully asked. "I'm so flattered."

"You should be." Vada responded, her tone just as playful. "I'm a catch. Clay Jensen has some competition."

Hannah's expression turned confused. "Wait, what? What does Clay have to do with anything?"

"Oh, come on." Vada smirked at her obliviousness. "That boy is totally into you. I can tell."

The brunette shook her head. "You're wrong. Helmet and I are just friends."

"Helmet? So you got a special nickname for him?" The redhead put both of her hands over her heart. "That is so sweet."

Hannah blushed. "All that teasing is going to make me dislike you."

"I doubt that." Vada grabbed both of her friend's hands. "If anything, it's going to make you like me more."

Vada's hands remained intertwined with Hannah's for a few seconds. She took the opportunity to properly look at the girl in front of her. _I wonder if she's aware of how pretty she is._

"You should go for it, you know?" Vada said. "With Clay, I mean. You never know what might happen."

Hannah looked down, not saying anything. _Shit... what the hell did the people at this school do to this girl's self-esteem?_

Vada's eyes scanned the cafeteria, and ended up spotting Jeff sitting with Clay, and a guy in a leather jacket she's never seen before. It was nice to see the athlete not sitting at the jock table. Bryce, Monty, and all the other dudes whose names escaped Vada were laughing and behaving like they owned the school. She rolled her eyes.

"What is it?" Hannah wondered.

"Just expressing my disgust for Bryce and his crew."

"Did they do something to you?"

Vada shook her head. "No, don't worry. I just think jocks are gross."

"But not Jeff?" Now it was Hannah's turn to tease her. _I suppose I deserve it._

"He's the only exception. It's a shame he has an awful girlfriend." Vada lamented. "But maybe I should chase the guy that he and Clay are sitting with. He looks like a modern day Danny Zuko."

Hannah burst into laughter. "Oh, Vada. You keep picking the impossible ones."

 _Okay, now I'm confused._ "What do you mean?"

"Tony's gay." Hannah revealed.

"Oh." Vada snorted. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. The most attractive people are always gay."

"Says who?"

"Me. Besides, I'm living proof."

Hannah stared at her in disbelief. "Wait, what do you mean? I thought that..."

"I'm bi." Vada admitted, and Hannah's eyes widened. "It's not exactly a secret. You're my friend, so I thought I should tell you. Are we cool?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course." Hannah assured her. "I'm just surprised, that's all. Thank you for trusting me."

"You're welcome." Vada grinned.

To the redhead's dismay, lunch eventually came to an end. She and Hannah parted ways, and Vada continued with her day.

Her conversation with the Baker girl had lifted her spirit in a way she hadn't quite expected. Vada was now completely sure that her friendship with Hannah was meant to last, and that it would be good for both of them.

She was surprised when Skye finally replied to her text.

 **Skye:** _Had to stay at the library to study for a test, sorry. Thanks for checking up on me._

Vada hoped Skye was telling the truth. She hadn't seen her all day, which wasn't surprising, considering that Liberty High was a huge school. She had gotten lost a few times trying to find her classes, much to her frustration.

When she returned home, her grandma had fallen asleep on the couch. Vada sighed and grabbed a blanket to cover her up. The old lady was sweet, even if she always called her by the wrong name.

Things had been difficult after her mother had left when she was little, and they were even harder now that her father had abandoned her. _Grandma Eloise is all the family I have._

As she did her homework, Vada tried not to think about her father, but it was impossible. If things had gone differently, she'd still be living in New York with him. She'd still have her big group of friends, and popularity at school. _But I wouldn't have Hannah. So I guess it's a good thing I fucked up, right?_

* * *

 **Author's note:** Hey, guys. So this chapter has been Vada/Hannah centric, and the next one will be too. All the other characters from the show will eventually appear and have big roles in the story, but for now, the main focus is on the girls. Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading xo


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Vada sat on the bleachers that faced the football field. She completed her homework quickly, wanting to work on a new drawing she had an idea for. Her sketchbook was out, as well as her pencil.

The redhead found her classes at Liberty High to be easier than the ones at her previous school. She'd always been a good student, perhaps not the best, but good enough to never fail a test. _Well. Almost never._ Trying to keep her mind off academics, she started to draw.

It was nice to have some peace and quiet, considering how chaotic the halls of the school were.

"Vada!"

A male voice caught her attention from the track. It was Jeff. _What the hell is he doing here?_

He was wearing his letterman jacket, reminding Vada of his status as a Liberty Tiger. He joined her on the first row of the bleachers, and their eyes met.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Are you stalking me?"

"Of course I am." He replied sarcastically. "That's what I like to do in my free time: stalk teenage girls."

Vada snorted. "Very funny."

She continued to focus on her drawing, but stopped when she realized Jeff was staring at the page.

"That's really good." He complimented. "Is it a tree?"

"It's a bonsai." She clarified. "It's for my grandma."

"Cool. You're visiting her?"

Vada shook her head. "I live with her."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

 _Well, of course you didn't. I never told you._ "Why are you here, Jeff? Shouldn't you be hanging out with your baseball buddies, or your girlfriend, perhaps?"

There was a quiet moment between them as they studied each other. "I was actually looking for Justin and Zach." He finally said. "But when I saw you here by yourself, I decided to join you. That's all."

Vada sighed and let out a tiny smile, hoping to show him that she wasn't actually upset. She was just trying to avoid being cornered by Loud Leah again. It had been a quiet Friday so far, and she was looking forward to leave with Hannah, so they could spend the rest of the afternoon and all night at her place.

"I don't know who Justin and Zach are." She said.

Jeff laughed. "I almost forgot you're new here."

Vada rolled her eyes, and laughed with him. "Yeah, well, it's not like I can learn everybody's names in a week. You, Hannah, and Skye are the only ones I've spoken to for more than a minute."

"Hannah seems like a nice girl." He commented. "I don't know her that well, but Jensen has told me nothing but good things."

"Clay Jensen?" Vada remembered the way she'd seen him look at Hannah and smirked. "Yeah, I'm sure he thinks very highly of her."

Jeff seemed to understand what she was saying. "If you're her friend, then you must know how she feels about him, right?"

"Who do you take me for? Gossip Girl?" She smacked his arm playfully. "I'm not about to expose any secrets."

Jeff raised his hands in surrender, a smile still plastered on his face. Vada took pride in knowing she could make him laugh.

"I'm just curious." He said. "I've been trying to help Clay get with her, but so far there's been no luck. They're both so difficult."

"Love is a difficult thing, I suppose." Vada's mind went back to her life in New York, and to the reason why she had to move in the first place. _It's all in the past now. It's not like I can change it._ "This conversation is getting too deep."

"And we aren't even drunk." Jeff pointed out, standing up. "Anyway, I should get going. I have to meet up with Clay in the library. I hope you and Hannah have fun tonight."

Vada was about to ask him how did he know about their upcoming sleepover, but then remembered that she was the one who had told him about it. "Good luck with the game."

"Thanks." They grinned at each other one last time, until Jeff finally turned around and exited the field.

The girl was once again alone, with her sketchbook still on her lap, and her pencil still on her right hand. She had chosen to draw a bonsai because her grandma had mentioned how much she liked them. _Once I get a job, I'll be able to buy her a real one._

After putting up with some more boring classes and annoying whispers, Vada met up with Hannah in the parking lot. She pulled her into a hug, which the brunette cheerfully returned.

"I've been waiting all day for this." Vada whispered softly in Hannah's ear. She resisted the urge to caress her friend's beautiful hair.

"Me too." Hannah agreed.

Their hug lasted over a minute, right until Vada caught Bryce and Monty staring at them. She let go of Hannah gently.

"Oh, don't stop on our account!" Bryce yelled from where he was standing.

"Just pretend we aren't even here!" Monty added.

"That's kind of hard, considering how distracting your ugly mugs are!" Vada shouted back, giving them the finger. "Let's go, Hannah."

"You don't have to tell me twice." She said, getting into the car with Vada.

Vada tried not to let their taunts get to her, but she could tell that Hannah had a difficult time dealing with harassment. _And who wouldn't? High school is supposed to be fun, not a hell hole where you get mocked for everything that you do. I_ _t's hard being a girl._

"Those two are such creeps." The redhead said as she drove. "I caught them looking at my boobs yesterday. They didn't even try to be subtle about it."

Hannah hissed in disgust. "I'm sorry. I've been there too, and it's awful. And it all started with that list..."

"What list?"

"This list that Alex wrote." Hannah answered. "It's a long story."

"Well, thank God you're coming over to my house. You can tell me all about this Alex and his list tonight."

Her companion nodded. "I will."

Once they made it to Vada's home, the girls entered the place quietly. "My grandma gets easily startled." The redhead explained. "When she's not on the couch watching TV, she's usually sleeping in her room."

"How old is she?" Hannah wondered.

"She's 74." Vada murmured. "Let's go to my room."

The girls made their way to Vada's room. Once inside, they left their backpacks on the floor. Hannah started to wander around, gazing at Vada's things.

"Feel free to touch anything you want. My diary is locked, so I won't have to worry about you reading it." The redhead joked. "I have some embarrassing shit written there."

Hannah grinned, noticing the small diary that was laying on Vada's desk. It had Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and Olaf on its cover, and a silver heart-shaped lock.

"Frozen? Really?" Hannah questioned. "I didn't picture you as a Disney girl."

Vada shrugged, sitting on her bed. "It might sound silly, but those movies make me feel better. The characters are sweet and noble, and there's always a happy ending... unlike in real life."

"I suppose you're right." The brunette said solemnly. Her attention drifted to the pictures Vada had hanging on her wall. Hannah was surprised to see her friend with blonde hair and a nose piercing, posing with several girls. "You look so good with your hair like that."

"Thanks." Vada blushed at the compliment. "I dye it very often. I love being a natural redhead, don't get me wrong, but changing colors is fun too."

Hannah didn't seem to notice the other girl's reddened cheeks. "And what about the piercing?"

"I still wear it sometimes, but I took it off recently because my father forced me to." She sighed. "I can hear his voice every time I pick it up."

"I'm sorry." Hannah lamented. "I didn't mean to bring back any bad memories."

Vada fought back the tears. "It's not your fault. My mom left when I was 7, and ever since then, he's been horrible to me. And back in New York, I did something in my old school..." She paused for a few seconds. "I did something that really pissed him off, and that's when he brought me here and left me."

"I'm so sorry." Hannah said once more, and took Vada's hand in hers. "Is there anything that I can do?"

"Distract me, I guess?" Vada suggested. "I'll go get us some snacks, and we can talk about stuff. You can tell me all about the list that you mentioned, and anything you feel like sharing."

"Deal."

Vada headed to the kitchen, and picked up some bags of Doritos, Pepsi cans, and chocolate bars. She was careful not to drop anything, and returned to the room.

"Hey, I could have helped you with all that!" The brunette frowned as Vada dropped everything on the bed. "You could have made a mess."

"Don't worry about it." Vada said dismissively. "I'm the master at carrying too many things at once."

Hannah chuckled. "Is that right?"

"Let's get comfortable." The redhead proposed, and both girls sat next to each other on the bed. Vada opened one of the bags of Doritos, while Hannah took one of the chocolate bars.

"Yes!" Hannah celebrated. "This one has nuts on it!"

"A chocolate bar without nuts isn't really a chocolate bar." Vada remarked, amused by Hannah's reaction.

"Amen to that."

"So..." Vada started. "Who is Alex and what was on his list?"

Hannah looked down on the floor, her enthusiasm gone. She covered her face with her hands, and let out a sigh. "Alex Standall used to be a friend of mine. I used to hang out with him and Jessica Davis at Monet's all the time. We drank hot chocolate and complained about life together. But then we stopped hanging out and..." She let out another sigh. "Alex made a 'best and worst' list. He put me under 'best ass' and Jessica under 'worst ass'. I think Skye was also on the list under 'butter face'..."

"Well, that's some immature, degrading, and objectifying bullshit." Vada complained. "And Skye has a beautiful face. This dude clearly had no idea what the fuck he was talking about. What does he look like? Perhaps I've seen him around."

Hannah seemed to enjoy Vada's outraged reaction. "He has bleached blond hair, and a nose ring."

"The Billy Idol wannabe?" Vada cried with laughter. "That skeleton made a list to talk shit about girls?"

"Oh, my God!" Hannah started laughing along with her. "You're so mean, Vada!"

"Don't get me wrong." She wiped off her tears. "He's a cute guy, and has nice eyes. But he's so pale... almost invisible."

"You have a point." Hannah's laughter stopped, and her expression turned serious again. "Anyway... after he made that list, most of the guys started grabbing my ass and making fun of me. Jessica accused me of hooking up with Alex, and slapped me on the face."

Vada's nose scrunched as she processed what Hannah had said. _Jessica seemed kind when I spoke to her. It's a shame that their friendship ended because of some bullshit misunderstanding._ "Jesus, Han..."

"Alex let everyone believe we slept together, same as Justin Foley." Hannah continued. "The Justin thing happened before I became Alex made the list. He was my friend Kat's ex-boyfriend, and I've been crushing on him for a while. We went out one night for a date at the park, and all we did was kiss. I even let him stay in my house and sleep in my bed after his mom's boyfriend hit him." She paused and ran her fingers through her hair. "But the next day he showed a picture of me running down a slide to his friends, and Bryce sent it to everyone at school. People ended up thinking we had sex, and that's when all the rumors about me started."

 _I wonder if this is the same Justin that Jeff mentioned today. Whoever he is, fuck him for making Hannah feel this way._ "I guess this is my turn to say that I'm so sorry, Hannah." Vada said sympathetically. "You didn't deserve any of it."

"Thank you." Hannah muttered. The redhead could tell that she was trying really hard to stay composed. "But that's not the end of it... after my falling out with Jess and Alex, I began to feel that someone was watching me, and taking pictures of me while I was changing in my bedroom. I could hear the sounds of the camera."

Vada's jaw dropped. _Why did all these terrible things had to happen to such a sweet girl?_

"I invited Courtney Crimsen over to find out who it was. We got a bit drunk, and started kissing. She got upset because it had been her first kiss, and that's when I realized she was a lesbian. I kissed her again, so her first kiss wouldn't be ruined." Hannah paused, and observed Vada's comforting face. "We got caught up in the moment, and heard a camera click. The stalker turned out to be Tyler Down."

"The yearbook guy?" Vada's eyebrows rose. "I've seen him around. I thought he seemed harmless."

"So did I." Hannah nibbled on her bottom lip. "And to make things even worse, he ended up sending that picture of Courtney and I kissing to the whole school. At first, people didn't know who the girls in the photo were, but when Bryce accused us at the Winter Formal, Courtney panicked and told Montgomery that it was me and another girl named Laura."

Vada grabbed her head with her hands. All this information was becoming too much for her brain to process. _That's why there are so many awful things written about Hannah on the bathroom walls._ "Fuck."

"She also told him that the things people were saying about Justin and I were true." Hannah added bitterly, finishing her tale. "So... that's basically all that's happened to me so far at Liberty High."

Sadness clouded Vada's features. "I don't know what to say, Han. This is all so fucked up." She grabbed the brunette by the shoulders. "I guess all I can do is tell you that I'm here for you. You're my friend, and I'll help you deal with all of this." She pulled her friend into a hug, and they stayed like that for several minutes.

"I don't even know how to thank you." Hannah said once their hug ended. "You've been so good to me this week."

"So have you." Vada told her. "Listen, I don't mean to interrupt this conversation, but we kind of forgot about our food and drinks."

"Shit, you're right."

The girls laughed together once again, and Vada suggested they watch a movie to help Hannah get her mind off things. She chose _Mamma Mia!_ , because it was one of her favorites, and because Hannah hadn't seen it before.

The movie was a jukebox musical romantic comedy, and its upbeat songs and touching moments ended up lighting up the mood for both Hannah and Vada.

"I wish I were Donna." Hannah suddenly said, taking a bite out of a chocolate bar. "She had three guys still care about her, even after 20 years."

"Oh, honey, anyone with half a brain would still be obsessed with you after 20 years." Vada assured, taking another sip of Pepsi. "You are Liberty's greatest beauty."

Hannah giggled. "No, I'm not. There are plenty of girls at school that are prettier than me. Jessica, Sheri, Angie, you..."

"Me?" Vada put a hand on her chest. "I'm touched, Hannah."

"But it's true!" The brunette insisted. "You have gorgeous hair, a killer smile, and a great sense of style! You're perfect!"

Vada turned crimson. "You just described yourself, Han."

"Agree to disagree." She said, raising her Pepsi can.

"Okay." Vada did the same, and their cans clinked.

"Wouldn't it be so cool if our lives were a musical?" Hannah contemplated. "Everyone would know the lyrics and the dances moves, and you and I could sing duets together."

Vada couldn't deny that that sounded amazing. "What song would you want us to sing?"

"Well, after watching _Mamma Mia!_ , I feel like _Dancing Queen_ would be perfect for us."

" _You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen..._ " Vada cheekily sang, her face close to Hannah's.

"Okay, stop, you're embarrassing me." The brunette covered her face with her hands. "But I like your singing."

"You're getting off the hook for now, but someday we're both going to perform this song." She extended her pinky finger. "Pinky promise?"

"People still do that?" Hannah questioned, and Vada pouted. "Fine, you got me." She locked her pinky finger with Vada's, much to the redhead's glee.

Vada checked the time on her phone. "It's only 9:30. We still have plenty of hours to watch more movies and gossip."

"Shouldn't you check on your grandma?"

 _Fuck._ Vada felt a stab of guilt for having forgotten about her grandmother. _I got so caught up with Hannah, that I forgot I don't live alone._ "You're right." She stood up. "I'll go make her some dinner."

"I'll help you out." The girls went to the kitchen, and prepared Mac and Cheese together. Once it was finished, they entered Eloise's bedroom. The table lamp was turned on, so there was no chance of them tripping over something.

Vada delicately put the plate and fork next to the lamp, careful not to make a mess. She touched her grandma's shoulder as gently as she could.

"I'm awake." Her grandma said, opening her eyes. "My vision was tired." When Eloise noticed Hannah holding a glass of water, she turned to Vada. "Who is this girl?"

"Grandma, this is Hannah." Vada pointed at the brunette. "She's a friend from school."

Vada started to wonder if it had been wise to bring Hannah into the room with her. She was grateful for her presence, but she didn't know how her grandma would react to another person. _How can I know?_ _I don't even know what she's suffering from!_

"Come closer, girl." Eloise instructed Hannah. "I want to look at you." The girl put the glass on the table and did what she was told.

Vada couldn't understand what the hell was happening. Her grandma examined her friend in silence, as if she were searching for something.

"What is she doing?" Hannah mumbled to Vada.

"I have no fucking clue." The redhead mumbled back.

"You look like a porcelain doll, girl." Eloise declared. "You're welcome to stay in my home."

 _Wait... what?_

Vada and Hannah exchanged confused glances, completely dumbfounded. Grandma Eloise didn't speak another word, and turned her focus on the Mac and Cheese.

"That was weird." Hannah said on their way back to Vada's room. "But at least she likes me."

"Do you wanna watch another movie?" Vada asked, wanting to change the subject. _Grandma is a giant enigma._ "Or maybe play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"How about 'never have I ever'?" The redhead faced Hannah on the bed. "I don't have any alcohol, but we could use Pepsi instead."

"It'd be a good way to avoid alcohol poisoning!" Hannah exclaimed. "Let's do it."

"Okay..." Vada began. "Never have I ever had male friends."

Hannah took a sip of her Pepsi. "I've got Helmet and Tony." Her smile disappeared for a few seconds. "And I had Alex, once upon a time..."

 _Shit. I should have said something else._ Vada cleared her throat. "Your turn."

"Never have I ever had sex."

Vada rolled her eyes. This time, it was her turn to drink.

Hannah chuckled. "A fellow New Yorker?"

"Yes." Was all Vada dared to say. There were things she wasn't ready to disclose yet. "Never have I ever started a rumor about someone."

To Vada's surprise, Hannah drank. "There was this girl at my old school, before I moved here. Her name was Sarah. I'm not proud of it, but me and two other girls used to make her life a living hell. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I was so afraid to be the one they'd end up bullying, that I hurt her pretty badly."

Vada tried to process what Hannah had just confessed. The brunette played with the hem of her shirt, waiting for a reaction. _Bullying is wrong, no matter the way you look at it. But she clearly regrets it. I can't change my mind about her based on one thing, right? Besides, I'm not perfect myself. I've done bad things too. If I were to tell Hannah, I'd want her to understand and accept me... right?_

"I appreciate you trusting me with that." Vada finally spoke. "That couldn't have been easy to admit, especially to someone you don't know that well yet. How about we stop playing and watch another movie?"

Hannah let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, sure."

The girls watched _Cruel Intentions_ , and sobbed together when Sebastian died by Annette's side. They finished all the snacks before midnight, so Vada ended up ordering a pizza. Hannah told Vada about the time she'd kissed Alex and Jessica, the time where she and Clay saw the moon together on the roof of the Cresmont theatre, and the time where Bryce had grabbed her ass when she went to get chocolate at a store called Blue Spot Liquor.

"That fucking pig!" Vada whined. "The more I learn about him, the more I hate him."

"I haven't been able to set foot in that place ever since that happened." Hannah lamented. "I used to get all my candy from there."

"Well, fuck it! Next time you're craving sugar, you can text me, and I'll go with you!" Vada gushed. "And if we ran into Bryce or one of his crooks, I'll kick their asses. Nobody gets between a girl and her chocolate."

Hannah gulped. "You're actually serious? You'd go with me?"

"Of course." Vada promised. "You tell me when, and I'll meet you at your place."

Hannah smiled, and embraced Vada warmly. _I don't think I've ever been hugged this much before. I could get used to this._ Unexpectedly, they ended up falling asleep next to each other.

That night, Vada dreamt of brown hair, an infectious smile, and a bright future at Liberty High, completely oblivious of the things that were about to come.

* * *

 **Author's note:** This chapter was supposed to be all about Vada/Hannah, but I ended up including a bit of Vada/Jeff at the beginning. I made this longer than usual as a treat to all my amazing readers.

Bryce and Monty made a cameo, and will make more appearances in the future, showing why they're the story's main villains. Vada will cross paths with other students at Liberty, and the drama will begin. Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think! XO


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Vada awoke first the next morning, with Hannah still sleeping peacefully twined together with her. She took a moment to just lie there, to let her rest, and thought of the night before.

Hannah had opened up to her about her difficult life at Liberty High, and Vada couldn't help but feel angry at the injustice of it all.

It wasn't fair how a photo taken out of context and a bunch of rumors could ruin a person's life. _I suppose I can't change what happened. All I can do is be there for her, in any way I can._

Hannah stirred, and Vada smiled as she blinked up at her. "Hey, how did you sleep?"

"Great." She admitted. "You?"

"Surprisingly well." Vada grinned and carefully disentangled herself from Hannah, though she ran her fingers through her hair once on the way just to show her everything was all right. "I'll make us some breakfast, and then drop you off at the Crestmont. Sucks that you have to work so early on a Saturday."

While she got up, Hannah sat on the bed watching her for a moment. "Last night meant the world to me. Thank you."

Vada smiled widely, and rested her palms on Hannah's shoulders. "It meant a lot to me too."

Hannah smiled back, and Vada twisted away and quickly headed for the door. "I'll go check on my grandma while you change. Take your time!"

By the time Vada had finished preparing breakfast, Hannah walked into the living room wearing her Crestmont uniform.

"Wow!" Vada clapped her hands. "Look at you, Miss America."

Hannah visibly blushed. "Oh, stop that!"

"Does Clay have to wear that too?" Vada asked, remembering they worked together. "I bet it makes him look like a little minister."

"Don't you dare tell him that." The brunette chuckled, and both girls sat together to enjoy breakfast.

"My grandma asked me if you were still here." Vada commented. "She told me to invite you again."

Hannah smiled. "That's nice. I don't want to intrude, but are you sure you can take care of her all by yourself?"

The redhead sighed. "Probably not. But I don't really have anyone else to help me out. I'm waiting to hear from Rosie's diner to see if I got the job. I wanna be optimistic, but it's hard."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the mood."

"No, it's okay. I like that worry about me."

Once they were done eating their cereal and drinking their milk, Vada and Hannah got into the redhead's car and headed to the Crestmont theatre.

"Is Clay working with you today?" Vada wondered.

"Yeah, he is."

 _He's so lucky. I wish I could work with Hannah._ "What's he like? Clay, I mean... he's nice, isn't he?"

"Helmet's the best." Hannah said fondly. "He's a great friend."

"That's good."

Vada didn't ask Hannah anything else after that. She was quite pleased with how smoothly their time together had gone, and looked forward to repeating it as soon as possible. When they made it to the Crestmont, Vada turned to Hannah. "Maybe next time I can go over to your house. That would be okay, right?"

"Of course." The girl's eyes shined with excitement. "My parents would love to meet you. My mom was thrilled when she heard I've made a new friend."

"Aww, you've been telling your mom nice things about me?" Vada teased, cupping her hand under Hannah's chin, and kissing her cheek.

Hannah's eyes fluttered, as she struggled to find the words to respond, and Vada became worried that she might have gone too far. _I shouldn't have kissed her. She's gonna think I..._

"You're evil." Hannah finally let out, no sign of annoyance in her tone. "But yeah, my mom really wants to meet you, so maybe you can come over to my house after school next week?"

"I'd love too." _Thank God she's not mad. I thought I'd ruined everything for a second._

"I'll see you on Monday." Hannah said, opening the car door. "And thank you again."

"You're welcome." Vada nodded. "And say hi to Clay for me, will you? Any friend of yours, is a friend of mine."

"I will." Hannah exited the vehicle and Vada stayed until the girl disappeared into the theatre.

The rest of the weekend was boring. Vada caught up with her homework, took care of Eloise, and cleaned up the entire house. _This place hasn't been disinfected in a long time._ She was coming to terms with the fact that this was her life now, that she had no other option than to live alone with an old, mentally ill woman and no one to look after her.

She began to wonder if the reason her mother had left in the first place was because her dad might have done something like this to her. The man had been awful to both his mother and his daughter, so who knows what he might have done to his wife? _Stop. Stop right now. There's no excuse for mom leaving. If she loved me, she would have taken me with her._

The highlight of Vada's weekend was when she received a call from Rosie's manager, telling her she could start working Monday afternoon.

 _See? It's not all bad. I've made a new friend, and I've gotten a job. Things could be a lot worse, right?_

Vada walked into Liberty's halls, excited to see Hannah again. She also hoped to run into Skye and Jeff, even if the latter's girlfriend was crazy.

People sure weren't subtle with their stares and whispers. _What could they possibly be saying about me now?_ She had the misfortune of walking past Bryce and Monty, who were talking to two other guys Vada didn't know.

"I'm telling you boys, Monty and I saw the new girl leaving with Hannah Baker last Friday! I'd pay anything to know what they did to each other!"

"I bet those two lesbians were all over each other and..." Monty stopped talking when he noticed Vada was staring at their group. "Oh, look who's here! Why aren't you smiling? You got laid this weekend, didn't you?"

"You know, it's not smart to talk about things you know nothing of." She said calmly. "They say that people who spend too much time trash-talking others do it because they have something to hide. Do you little boys have something to hide?"

"Who are you calling little, bitch?" Monty snapped, but Bryce stopped him for getting closer to Vada. The two other guys that were with them shared nervous looks.

"Woah!" Vada exclaimed, amused. "That wasn't so hard. You got a temper, don't you?"

"Our friend is a little erratic, but nothing to worry about." Bryce said. "But we are curious about the details. First Atkins, now Hannah Baker... you've got some game, new girl. Am I next?"

 _In your dreams, jackass._

"Bryce, let it go."

Bryce rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't be a prude, Zachy."

 _So this is Zach. The other one must be Justin, the asshole who took Hannah's picture and started all this shit._ Vada looked at Zach and Justin up and down, ignoring Bryce's quips and Monty's glare. "I don't get the fuss about you, jocks. Too much muscle, not enough brains. See you both in Communications class." She turned around and walked away from them.

"Fucking weirdo bitch." Vada heard Monty spat, and she burst into laughter. _What an idiot._

She ended up running into Hannah before the bell rang, and told her what had happened.

"That Justin guy you told me about stood there like a statue while his buddies tried to intimidate me. And Zach didn't really do anything either. It was funny, to be honest. I felt bigger than all of them during that moment."

Hannah looked impressed. "Wow, that was brave of you, to stand up to Bryce and Monty like that..."

"They're just dumb boys, Hannah. I bet you can do it too."

Hannah shrugged her shoulders, so Vada put one arm around the brunette to confort her, and they walked to class together. Justin and Zach were already in the classroom when they entered, and Vada didn't miss the way their eyes had landed on them.

"You two need something?" She asked, sitting with Hannah on the table next to them.

"N-nah, we're good." Zach shook his head quickly.

"Dempsey here was just admiring your legs." Justin blurted out. "Or Hannah's. I'm not really sure..."

Vada gave them both the finger, and avoided them the entire duration of the class. At some point she managed to put some compliments in Hannah's bag without her noticing, hoping she wouldn't recognize her handwriting.

During lunch, she and Hannah decided to go sit with Skye, who seemed nothing but bewildered by the action. "Um, hello?"

"Hey." Vada greeted. "We saw you by yourself, so we thought we'd join you. Is it okay?"

"Sure." She responded. "I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

 _Damn. She's probably used to being alone._ "How's your day been?"

"Same as usual. I saw your fight with the jocks earlier. Monty looked like he wanted to rip your head off."

The redhead snorted. "All I did was call him little. He's an idiot."

"You're not wrong." Hannah chimed in. "He was a total asshole to me during the winter dance."

"Fuck Monty." Skye suddenly said, making both Vada and Hannah laugh. "He's not worth talking about."

"You're right." Vada agreed. "I start working at Rosie's today, and apparently I have to wear a uniform. I just hope I don't look too ridiculous."

"I've seen their uniforms, and they're fine. Not something I'd wear though, those skirts are way too short." Skye said. "Kind of like the one you're wearing right now, Vada."

She threw a napkin at her. "Are you shaming me for my skirt?"

"Of course not." Skye feigned innocence. "I'm glad you feel comfortable in your own skin."

Vada exchanged a glance with Hannah and smirked. It was refreshing to be able to joke about things with someone. Skye was a lot friendlier than she seemed, but Vada suspected she was also afraid to let people in.

The students at Liberty High were no different than the ones from other schools. They judged and bullied anyone who didn't live up to their standards. Hannah and Skye were both victims of this treatment, and Vada knew she had become one as well. It wasn't fair.

The rest of the day went by slower than she wished. She was taken aback when Jeff sat next to her during History class.

"Hey, what's up?"

Vada turned to him. "Hey, yourself."

"The guys told me that you might have pissed Monty off a little bit." He sounded delighted, as if Vada had just gifted him a new car.

"Yeah, well, he's a jackass." Vada insisted. "That Sheen Estevez looking motherfucker."

"Who's Sheen Estevez?"

"Google it later, and you'll have a good laugh."

She continued to endure what was left of that Monday, until the final bell rang, and she searched for Hannah to say goodbye.

The brunette gave her a hug, which Vada gladly returned. "Good luck on your first day at work."

"Thank you."

Before heading to Rosie's, Vada had to go back home and make sure Eloise had something to eat. She cared for her grandma, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed by the situation. It was as if she were the mother, and Eloise was her baby daughter.

"Grandma!" Vada yelled, slamming the door. "Where are you?"

"I'm making myself some eggs, Beverly!"

 _Wrong name again. But hey, at least this one's pretty._ "You don't have to do anything, I can cook something for you." She ran towards the kitchen and found Eloise with her hands covered in flour.

"Grandma, what the hell? Those aren't eggs!" Vada turned on the faucet, and grabbed Eloise's hands. "Wash your hands while I clean this up. Food will be ready soon."

Fortunately, her grandma obeyed, and the old woman ended up sitting on her couch, with a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs that Vada prepared.

"This is more of a breakfast than a lunch, but it's what you asked for, so I hope you like it."

"Thank you, dear." Eloise said. "You keep leaving alone, and I worry that one day you might not come back."

Vada's heart sank when she saw the pained expression on her face. "I leave you alone because I have school, and now I have to go to work. But I'd never abandon you, grandma. I'll always come back, I promise." _I'm not like dad._

"Okay, I believe you." Her grandma murmured, her attention returning to the food on her plate. "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out."

Vada sighed, happy to finally be able to leave. "I won't."

She tried to calm herself down by listening to some music on her way to Rosie's. Vada had no idea her grandmother was afraid that she'd leave, and she wanted to curse her father for doing this to them.

 _Forget about dad. You have to work now. You have to work so you and grandma can get by._

It turned out that Skye hadn't lied about the uniform. The skirt was definitely way too short for a girl to be running around the place with a tray. Vada stared at her reflection in the diner's bathroom; her hair was now tied in a ponytail and the red waitress uniform she was given made her look like a burlesque dancer.

She gulped. _It's pointless to hope no one from school ever sees me like this, isn't it?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was Friday night, and instead of watching movies with Hannah at her place, or cooking dinner for her grandma, Vada was busy working at Rosie's diner.

She had only been working there for two weeks, and even though the schedule was quite tight, she didn't dislike her job, or the people she worked with. What she did dislike, however, was that the majority of Liberty's assholes would show their faces there, which could only mean one thing: trouble.

Vada couldn't help but cringe when she saw Bryce Walker walk in with his mob of sheep, which consisted of Justin Foley, Zach Dempsey, Montgomery De La Cruz, and Scott Reed. Sometimes Marcus Cole or Alex Standall would be with them, but this time it seemed like it was an athletes-only night.

She loathed the way Bryce would look at her. It made her feel uneasy and helpless, which were two things she didn't like feeling.

Fortunately, she wasn't assigned to be their waitress for the night, so she avoided their gazes as best as she could, and kept on working.

 _You're doing this for grandma. Remember that._

Back in New York, she used to work at her dad's restaurant, so waiting tables wasn't foreign territory to her. The downside was that being at Rosie's reminded her of the fact that she'd been abandoned for the second time in her life. _It's not fair. Even when he's gone, he's still around._

Vada considered calling him a million times, but she just didn't know what to say. She had begun getting accustomed to living in Evergreen County, despite the rumors about her at school.

People would say all sorts of things: that she and Hannah were a couple, that they were having threesomes with Skye, that Jeff was cheating on Leah with Vada, that the reason Vada had moved to Crestmont was because she had already slept with everyone else back at her old school, so she needed to try something new.

Sometimes, she wanted to tell everyone to fuck off. Other times, she would just laugh at the ridiculousness of their statements. But Vada could tell that Hannah felt severely affected by what people said about her. Which is why she rarely ever left her side at school. The only times they were apart was when they were at different classes.

She was about to go to the bathroom to change and finally head home, when somebody called out her name. _Oh, shit. Silly me for believing I could avoid this._

It wasn't Bryce's annoying and smug tone that had disrupted her path, but Monty's. Vada rolled her eyes, and walked towards their table. _Let's see what this clown wants._

"What?"

"Where's your girlfriend?" Monty asked, making Bryce, Justin and Scott laugh. Zach remained quiet, meeting Vada's eyes briefly. He was without a doubt the best looking guy of that entire group. _Too bad his taste in friends sucks._

"You mean Hannah? She doesn't work here."

"Aww, that's right. She works at the Crestmont with that Cory kid."

"His name is Clay, dude." Bryce corrected him.

"Whatever." Monty dismissed. "I was just hoping we could see some action between the two of you tonight. And I know the guys were excited about it too."

"I think I'd rather see her kiss the goth chick." Scott said.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Hannah Baker is way hotter than that girl." Bryce said.

Monty, Justin, and Zach voiced their agreement, and then turned to Vada, who had remained silent. She looked at all of them, and then said in a low voice, "The only time any of you are ever going to see some action from me, is when I kick all of your asses, got it? Oh, and please tip your waitress."

And with that, she walked away and locked herself in the girl's bathroom with her bag, taking off her uniform and putting on her normal clothes.

When she got out, the jocks were still there, but she paid no mind to them. She walked out of the exit door so fast that she ended up bumping into someone.

"Shit, sorry!" She exclaimed. "I wasn't looking."

"It's fine." A familiar voice said. "No worries, Vada."

 _Oh, fuck. It's Jeff!_

It felt weird seeing him out of his leatherman jacket. He looked great... greater than usual.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to meet up with the guys." He explained. "You know, Zach, Justin..."

"Oh, yeah, I know all about them." She said dismissively. "They're in there. Acting really stupid, may I add." _God, why are you friends with these guys?_

"Okay, thanks." He laughed weakly, quickly walking past her.

 _Um... what was that? Don't tell me I've offended him or something. Whatever._

Once Vada was back home, she went to Eloise's room to check up on her. Her sweet grandma was already sleeping like a baby, and she decided to join her. The bed was quite spacious, so she felt very comfortable.

She spent a big part of the night reflecting on some things that had been happening at Liberty. There were now awful things written about her in the bathroom walls, right next to the insults directed at Hannah.

The insults weren't even original, they were mostly just dumb stuff like the words "bitch" and "slut". _Leah and her cronies' work, I'm betting._ Whispers and rumors about Vada's 'love affairs' with Jeff, Hannah and Skye had spread like wildfire, and there was no stopping them now.

The whole thing was annoying and frustrating, not to mention, stupid. Vada had considered trying to reason with Leah and explaining that she and Jeff were just friends, but eventually decided that it would be pointless. _People like that just don't listen._

The next day at school, Vada found Hannah with two pink pieces of paper in her hand. "What are those?"

"These are Dollar Valentine surveys." Hannah said.

"Oh, I think I heard about those. You answer some questions, and then get matched with some guys. The money goes to help the cheerleaders, right?"

"Yeah, but don't worry about paying me back or anything. It's just a dollar."

"Hey, come on. A dollar is a dollar." Vada insisted, taking one out of her pocket and giving it to her friend.

"Well, thank you." Hannah took the dollar and handed Vada the survey. "Please let me know when you finish it, so we can go get our results together."

"Okay, cool." _But I'm only doing this for fun. I doubt this thing would end up pairing me up with anybody as good as you._

Vada decided to do the survey while she was in the library during her free period. _Okay... let's check out these questions..._

"How do you spend your Saturday nights?" _Working at Rosie's dinner, taking care of my grandmother or having a sleepover with my best friend._

"Favorite reading materials?" _Harry Potter, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Pride and Prejudice._

"What's your dream date?" _Dinner and a movie._

The rest of the questions were nothing out of the ordinary, and Vada continued to answer them with a bit of disinterest. She did as Hannah had asked and waited to reunite with her so they could go get their results together.

They were greeted by a very cheerful (pun intended) Sheri, who took their surveys and did some computer magic to print their results.

"Who did you girls get?" She asked.

Vada was about to look at her results when Hannah spoke up. "How did I match with Bryce Walker?"

"What the fuck?" Vada exclaimed. "That's like... matching with Freddy Krueger or something."

Sheri took Hannah's results out of her hand. "Yeah, that one is a big no. But what about Alex Standall? He's nice."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Vada interjected. "But let's be real, anyone's nicer than Bryce. Except Monty, probably."

"Yeah, I'm not going to call Alex." Hannah said. "And I don't know anything about the other three guys on the list. What about you Vada? Who did you get?"

Vada finally looked at the paper in her hand, and raised her brows when she saw the first two names on her list.

 _1\. Zach D._

 _2\. Tyler D._

 _Wait... what?!_


End file.
